Perhaps Congressman Frank Wolf is just disappointed that President Bush is ignoring his advice to not attend the Beijing Olympics as a protest against China’s human rights abuses. It could be his concerns that history will “never, ever, ever forgive” Americans for attending the Olympics. Maybe he just misses Ronald Reagan.
Whatever his reasoning, the Virginia Republican took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives June 11 to reveal that Chinese hackers have targeted him and three other congressmen. He claimed the orders came straight from Beijing, although he admitted he had no real proof the intrusions were directed by the PRC.
“I am speaking out about the threat of cyber-attacks from China and other countries on the entire U.S. government, including our military, because of my deep concern about maintaining the security and integrity of our government,” Wolf said.
One small problem: The attacks happened two years ago. One wonders just how concerned Wolf is, if he waits two years to bring it up. Ever true to his Cold War conspiracy class, Wolf said he has been “urged not to speak out about this threat” by “people in the government.” He declined to name names.
It may surprise Wolf that he is one of the last people to speak up about the threat of cyber-attacks, from China or elsewhere. Maybe he is too consumed with the thought of the traitorous Americans who are packing for the Olympics.
“Ronald Reagan would have never gone to the Olympics. I guarantee you that. Never gone,” Wolf said in March. U.S. tourists who are Beijing bound, Wolf proclaimed, “will go down in history as cooperating in the genocide Olympics of 2008.”
Wolf has no intention of being in Beijing. He’ll spend his August vacation back home in his Northern Virginia district, where it will surprise no one if he comes up with a bill to dramatically increase spending on cyber-security.
That wouldn’t be a bad thing, particularly for the many defense contractors who populate his district and contribute heavily to his campaigns.